Anthony Weiner's racially divisive attack, and apology, unearthed and broadcasted

My last WAVE column took some shots at Weiner for his education program. I didn't get time to do a follow-up on why I, a former supporter, am increasingly disturbed by Weiner. Funny when I was talking to a cormer colleague, now 81 years old, and compared Weiner to Clinton, she said "What Weiner did is much worse than Clinton. Possitively creepy."

Well, here is an incident I had no memory of. Watch lots more stuffed get flushed out as the people who want him out of the race turn up whatever dirt they can.

I just came across this from the increasingly indispensable daily update from Azi Paybarah at Capital NY. I didn't embed the video from MSNBC but you can watch it at: http://capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2013/06/8530627/anthony-weiners-racially-divisive-attack-and-apology-unearthed-and-

Anthony Weiner's racially divisive attack, and apology, unearthed and broadcasted

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By Azi Paybarah

12:57 pm Jun. 3, 2013

This weekend, MSNBC's Steve Kornacki took another look at a professionally crucial episode in Anthony Weiner's past, producing a piece of literature Weiner distributed in his 1991 Council race which helped him capitalize on racial tension from the Crown Heights riots to win.

Kornacki also got his hands on a hand-written apology letter Weiner wrote to the target of that flier, Adele Cohen.



In the letter, Weiner promised to call her in order to deliver his apology "in person." That conversation never took place, according to Cohen.
The flier is a remarkable artifact. Produced days after the race riot in Brooklyn, it said, "The David Dinkins and Jesse Jackson coalition wants you to vote for Adele Cohen" and "If Adele Cohen and her ultra-liberal agenda gets into the City Council, she'll owe it to the Dinkins/Jackson Coalition. And that's a debt we'll have to pay for."

In the apology letter, Weiner wrote that the mailing was "wrongheaded and the manner was just plain dumb. I regret the harm it did to you … I made a mistake that cannot be undone. I have to live with it. I'm sorry you do as well." He added, "I hope that in time, I will have the opportunity to redeem myself to you and to the many others who are rightly angry with me."
The incident shows a side of Weiner that is little known to younger and more liberal voters (the kind who tend to watch MSNBC) who have gotten to know him, through his made-for-YouTube rants on the floor of Congress, combative interviews on Fox and regular appearances on MSNBC, as a staunch progressive.

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Congratulations to Kornacki's producer Jack Bohrer, the historian (and, like Kornacki, occasional Capital contributor) who found the original flier.
The whole segment, which features a very New Yorky panel made up of Blake Zeff, Errol Louis, Howard Wolfson and L. Joy Williams, is worth watching.